The School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) joins Sciences Po in Paris, the University of Toronto, and the University of Guelph in a 5-year, multi-institutional collaboration to prepare the next generation of global climate and environmental leaders.
The Climate Adaptation, Resilience and Empowerment (or CARE) Program an innovative partnership designed to instill the next generation of climate-conscious global leaders with the knowledge, skills and experience to generate hands-on solutions to address the climate crisis.
The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are the greatest challenges the world is facing today, with significant impact on future generations. In the search for solutions, universities have a fundamental role to play by promoting a socially inclusive approach that helps reduce vulnerabilities and better understand and manage climate risks.
The CARE Program will deliver cross-cultural graduate education exchanges on environmental sustainability, addressing climate adaptation, resilience, the international energy transition, biodiversity conservation, and pollution. It will advance education, innovation and public debate for the design and practice of policies that promote sustainable development and respond to the accelerating climate crisis. This program is made possible by a generous grant from the Foundation David R. Graham.
If you have any questions about the CARE program, please contact Robyn Leuty (Assistant Director, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs) at robyn.leuty@ubc.ca
We are thrilled to be working with Sciences Po and the Universities of Toronto and Guelph through the CARE Program. We have numerous faculty and scholars working on different aspects of climate change adaptation and mitigation, and we see partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and cultural exchange of this type as imperative to effectively address the global climate emergency.
As part of this program, SPPGA is contributing to a variety of initiatives:
The School of Public Policy and Global Affairs awards an annual scholarship, which serves to build a sound intellectual grounding in environmental sustainability and energy transition issues, to the most meritorious, French student pursuing the Masters in Public Policy and Global Affairs in the Resources, Energy, and Sustainability stream. Each scholarship recipient will receive €26,500 per year (converted to CAD) towards tuition and living expenses, plus a modest contribution for travel. The award is made on the recommendation of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. No separate application is required.
Each summer, SPPGA hosts three internship opportunities valued at €6,000 in support of full-time, immersive research experience working directly with a faculty member on a climate-related research project over a three-month period (mid-May to mid-August). Student interns will be registered through the UBC’s Visiting International Research Students program and will have access to all support and resources through this program, as well as will be eligible for on-campus housing during the internship.
Eligibility: Internships are available for students from France who are interested in a hands-on experience contributing to faculty-led research related to CARE’s core themes.
Selection: Following an online application process, eligible applicantions will be reviewed and selected by supervising faculty member (a virtual interview may be required). Applicants will be considered based on academic excellence (GPA) and relevant academic and professional skills and experiences related to specific research project of interest.
On an annual basis, each university will open a number of courses related to CARE themes to graduate students from each of the partner universities. These courses may be available to audit, or receive credit (this is dependent on both the course and the university). Calls will be released twice a year. Each university is only able to select 1-2 students. Selection at UBC will be based on an application and reviewed by a small committee of SPPGA faculty. Previous courses include:
- Critical Ecology of Water (Sciences Po)
- Climate Change and Security, A Geopolitical and Multiscale Perspective (Sciences Po)
- Topics in Innovation III: Innovation & the Energy Transition (University of Toronto)
- Topics in Public Policy: Canadian Energy Policy and the Transition to New-Zero (University of Toronto)
- Disaster Planning and Management (University of Guelph)
The CARE Program creates opportunities to ensure future climate leaders are connected to the latest developments in environmental and climate change issues and apply what they learn in and beyond the classroom to real-world situations through applied learning activities including case competitions, capstone projects, policy briefs, studies and case reports. Past activities include the annual CARE Conference (hosted in 2024 by Sciences Po), 2024 CASE Competition hosted by the University of Toronto, as well as a project on Sufficiency Policies and Practices facilitated by Sciences Po. These calls go out throughout the year as opportunities arise.
CARE Related News
CARE Conference Call for Student Posters – Apply by January 27th
Case Competition: MPPGA Students Develop Policy Solutions for Energy Transitions
CARE Program Summer 2025 Internships – Apply by Dec 27
